Drinking just one energy drink could boost heart risks in healthy young people, a new survey finds.

Researchers from the Mayo Clinic studied 25 healthy young adults with no known cardiovascular risk factors. Each drank one 16-ounce can of a commercially available energy drink or a sham drink in random order on two separate days.

They measured participants' blood pressure and blood levels of norepinephrine before and 30 minutes after drink consumption. Norepinephrine is a "fight or flight" chemical that increases blood pressure and the heart's ability to contract and it modulates heart rate and breathing in response to perceived stress.

They found that, in addition to increases in blood pressure after consuming the energy drink, participants' norepinephrine levels increased more than twice as much when compared to those who drank the sham drink.

Specifically, norepinephrine levels increased by almost 74 percent after the energy drink consumption, versus by 30 percent after the sham drink. Such increases in blood pressure and stress hormones could predispose otherwise healthy, young adults to increased cardiovascular risk, the researchers said.

The study was presented at the American Heart Association’s 2015 Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Fla.

The information presented on this website is not intended as specific medical advice and is not a substitute for professional medical treatment or diagnosis. Read Newsmax Terms and Conditions of Service.